A different kind of giving

Image Credit: Saskatchewan Polytechnic
Image Credit: Saskatchewan Polytechnic
Alumni Graham Stobbs’ career transition from surgical ward nursing to tissue and organ donation coordination

Graham Stobbs, a proud graduate of Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Nursing Education Program (NEPS), has always embraced a path of purpose. Still, his career journey did not begin with a connection to the medical field.

Raised on a small family farm near Kinistino, Stobbs was the youngest of four boys. Heavily involved in 4-H and always helping on the family farm, there were few family members to draw inspiration from in healthcare. He discovered nursing in high school, drawn to it by an interest that was, as he describes, "very random". Despite some pushback from his mom and eventually with her approval, he entered the NEPS program right after graduation, committing to the rigorous demands of nursing education.

Stobbs’ nursing career began at St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon, where he found his footing in the surgical ward providing post-operative care. Working there for a decade, he cherished the experience, describing it as a perfect fit, where he was constantly learning. Yet, as time passed, he realized there was more he wanted to explore in the nursing field. When an opportunity arose to become a Tissue and Organ coordinator with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), he took the leap. Excited by the opportunity, the SHA’s decision to bring him on board marked the beginning of a new, deeply fulfilling chapter in his career.

In Stobbs' current role, the responsibilities are multi-faceted and challenging, involving everything from educating the public and medical units about donation to assisting families with critical, often heart-wrenching decisions. “We come in at people’s low points,” he shares, explaining that his team must guide families through the decision-making process of tissue and organ donation at a time when they are often overwhelmed with grief. Rather than push a particular outcome, Stobbs ensures families have the information needed to make the best decision for their loved ones. “We’re not here to coerce,” he says. “We’re here to inform and support, whatever they choose.”

A unique aspect of his role is handling ocular donations, which is especially relevant during November’s Ocular Donation Awareness Month. In Saskatchewan, ocular donation is the only type of tissue donation the province offers Stobbs says, “The province's population size limits the need for arteries, veins, skin, amniotic fluid, bones or tendons. Tissue can be brought in from out of province to fulfill the need.”

Stobbs explains when it comes to donation all possibilities are exhausted. “After retrieving the ocular tissue, one of the certified eye bank technicians assesses it to confirm it’s suitable for transplant. We then offer it to the eye surgeons and if they request it for the OR, we bring the ocular tissue for the scheduled operation. On the organ donation side, we contact transplant programs across Saskatchewan, Canada, and even the U.S. to find recipients. Using an anonymous matching system, we continue the search until we locate a match. Once a match is confirmed, we collaborate with the program to move forward with the transplant process.”

Stobbs describes ocular donation as a gift of sight that can transform lives. Unlike organ donation, where some health conditions may prevent eligibility, those with certain diseases can still donate their corneas. “Many don’t know that,” Stobbs notes. "It’s incredibly rewarding to know that a single cornea can help someone see again—allowing them to read, look at their family photos, or even see their grandchildren’s faces for the first time in years.”

Through his work, Stobbs has come to appreciate that donating is not only about giving money or resources. “It’s about giving a part of yourself, even at the end of life,” he explains. Reflecting on the families he supports, Stobbs remains inspired by their selflessness and generosity. “At their lowest moments, they’re able to think of others. It’s incredibly humbling.”

For Stobbs it is about the awareness of donating, “We do public engagements, visit the medical floors, we even promote it during Sask Polytech’s Health and Wellness Days. We just want people to see the information. When they walk away, and I can hear them talking about it, I see the seed has been planted.”

Stobbs’ career may have shifted from post-operative care, but his commitment to serving and supporting people remains steadfast. For him, every conversation, every consent form, and every ocular or organ donation is another step in honoring lives lost and lives saved.

As November brings awareness to ocular donation, Stobbs hopes that more people will consider their own end-of-life wishes. He encourages families to discuss these choices, to ensure that they have the information they need to consider organ and tissue donation as a legacy of life and sight for others. To learn about tissue and organ donation visit the Saskatchewan Health Authority for more information.

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